To test the efficacy of liquid formulations applied to plants, e.g., herbicides and/or fertilizers, various experimental formulations are often applied to an array of planted seeds. The effectiveness of the formulations is then analyzed by tracking the effects of the formulation on the growth of the plants. Typically, experimental liquid formulations, such as herbicides and fertilizers, are tested in the greenhouse using standard plants. A visual assessment of formulation performance is made over time and formulations are ranked based on their performance compared to known standards. While the greenhouse assay is an effective tool to identify enhanced formulations, the number of formulations that can be analyzed per year is limited by the availability of greenhouse space, labor costs and time. Thus a need exists to facilitate the rapid and efficient analysis of experimental liquid formulations.